THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST... a farcical comedy in which the protagonistsmaintain fictitious personæ to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the socialconventions of late Victorian London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treatsinstitutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian ways. Some contemporaryreviews praised the play's humour and the culmination of Wilde's artistic career, while otherswere cautious about its lack of social messages. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helpedmake The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular play.